Guidelines
by MeltingSunlight
Summary: Morgana's never seen them as rules, more... guidelines. And she's never been one to accept anyone's guidance but her own. Morgwen femslash, rated T for now, but that will be moved to M later on because of... "adult content".. Muaha...
1. Chapter 1

"Call me, Gwen. If you ever need me, call for me and I swear I'll come for you."

Gwen's eyes brimmed with tears as the long faded words echoed in the increasingly dark depths of her mind. There had always been so much left unsaid between the two women, yet those words had made Gwen feel in that moment like that needn't be changed; like maybe, just maybe, Morgana understood how her maid felt. Gwen wondered where the young sorceress was now, if she was okay. Secretly, she hoped she was. She rolled onto her side, sick of staring blankly at the ceiling and waiting in vein for the tears to stop.

She remembered the times Morgana called for _her, _in the dead of night with terror glazing her eyes and tears spilling down her pale cheeks.

The things she saw as she slept haunted her even in the daylight hours, sometimes to the extent where she would shut herself away and refuse to tell Gwen what it was she had witnessed behind closed eyes. Gwen often wondered if Morgana had seen it coming, what became of her and Arthur. If one of those times when Morgana 'didn't want to talk about it' was because she had seen how it would all end for Gwen. Certainly, lying where she was in the cold of her room in the monotonous village she was forced to live in, she hoped not. She hoped, even after everything, that Morgana wouldn't have just left her to such a fate without any warning.

Gwen sighed, reaching under her pillow and pulling out the little silver necklace she had always kept there. Before Morgana had left she'd given it to Gwen as a birthday present and Gwen had always cherished it. It made her feel better to hold it. It was all she had left of the days when everything was okay, the days where she could allow herself to pretend that someone as perfect as Morgana Pendragon could ever feel anything for her maid. The tears continued to escape as Gwen traced her thumb over the tiny engraved swirls engraved into the precious metal of the pendant, blazing their way down her face and soaking slowly into her pillow. She couldn't remember how long she'd done this for; woken by nightmares in the bleak darkness of her room, cried her heart out over a love that should never have been allowed to grow as far as it did, fallen back into a restless sleep and then woken late, miserable and just as exhausted as when she'd retired to bed the evening before. But she kept on doing it. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't let herself forget her feelings for Morgana and slowly it was killing her. What made it worse was that she barely ever spared a thought for Arthur. They should be married now, she should have been crowned queen.

_I'm even starting to _sound_ like Morgana. _She thought sadly.

She pushed herself up from the fetal position she'd assumed and ran her hands through her hair. She wanted so badly to get out of the rut she was in. She didn't think as she got dressed, pulling on the first dress she found, still struggling against the tears. She slipped her necklace over her head and then a fastened her cloak around her shoulders, pulling her hood up and crossing to the door which opened out onto the street.

The night air was cool against her tear stained face as Gwen stepped out of the house. The world was dark and silent around her. Tendrils of smoke rose languidly from burned out braziers, and penned live- stock slept serenely in little huddled clumps. Gwen left the village as swiftly as she could, hiding her face behind her hood, her eyes flitting between the uneven ground and the tree line she was headed for. A few times she considered turning back, running to the relative safety of her room but chose to ignore her inner voice- so far, all it had ever done was lead her further and further into a never ending mess and she was determined to do something which wasn't totally influenced by the 'right'. Not that there was anything very 'bad' about going for a walk in a forest in the dark, more stupid. When she reached the shadowed tree line, Gwen looked back. The tiny settlement still slept- no one missed her.

With a sigh, she turned her back on it, stepping into the undergrowth of the woods. She blundered her way through brambles and knotted roots, catching her soft skin on thorns perhaps more than she realised. For a time, she did her best to sweep carefully aside each spike and nettle, but the longer she tried, the more frustrated she became, resorting to ripping and clawing at them in desperation to get them off of her and keep moving further into the looming trees. After ten minutes of fighting a losing battle, Gwen slumped down against a moss-shod tree. The village was out of sight, and all around her was the alien sounds of animals which did their best to tease the darker side of her imagination into conjuring all sorts of frightening images.

_What am I doing? _She thought miserably. _Sat in an unguarded forest in the middle of the night, wishing to be with a sorceress who hates me. Have I finally lost my mind?_

She started to cry again, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her forehead against them, her hood blinkering her entirely. Trees rustled above her as the wind whispered mournfully. Gwen decided it sounded almost like the very forest was debating her sanity, her stability. Tears dripped down her face and onto the soft red fabric of her dress.

"Morgana..." Gwen whispered to the night.

Silence answered her plea and Gwen squeezed her eyes closed. She wished with everything she had to take it back to all those moons ago, when life was simple and her only worry was waking her lady up on time to attend court, or making sure everything was tidy and clean. She remembered it as if it were yesterday but at the same time, it felt like a lifetime ago. "I wish you were here..." she said softly.

"I am." A gentle voice whispered back.


	2. Chapter 2

Gwen allowed herself a frozen moment to stare speechlessly at Morgana before her sanity made a quick return, panic following closely behind. She knew running would be pointless so she stayed still, her chest heaving as she tried to calm herself down. The harder she tried to breathe, the less oxygen she felt like she was getting and the world started to spin, getting dimmer and dimmer. She stumbled to her feet, logic abandoning her. Too fast. The sudden movement invoked tiny bright white dots to slowly meander in front of her eyes and the dark greens of the forest seem to blur to a bruised purple. Before she could grab anything, she was falling back down and with a last long exhalation, the world around her was slowly blotted out by the blackness. She never felt the ground.

Gwen awoke with a low ringing in her ears. Her eyes were too heavy to open so for a time she lay voluntarily blind. For some reason, her bed felt comfier than usual and she was sorely tempted to go back to sleep. She knew she couldn't though- it may not have been Camelot, but she still had her jobs to do and sleeping in wasn't an option when they weren't done. Reluctantly she opened her eyes. What she saw didn't register for a few seconds and in that time Gwen found herself staring listlessly at the forest floor. The forest floor. The _forest floor_.

_What.._

Another second and she realised she wasn't even lying on the floor. She wasn't lying on her bed, either. Confusion wavered inside her for a moment. She swept her eyes down and felt her breath catch. Pale arms surrounded her waist, clad in black lace so delicate it looked like the slightest movement would tear it apart. As if she'd pulled the mental plug, Gwen remembered all too quickly where she was and more importantly, who's arms she was in. Without thinking she lifted her head, fear rising inside her again. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to look left. Gwen wasn't quite expecting Morgana's face to be so close and she lurched backwards slightly as she nearly head butted the sorceress. A soft dapple of moonlight illuminated Morgana's face and despite herself, Gwen felt her heart flutter.

Morgana's eyes were closed, but Gwen knew her well enough to know the other woman wasn't asleep. "How long has it been since you slept through the night?"

Whatever Gwen had been expecting to hear after all of this time, that wasn't it. She struggled for something to say. "I-" She supposed the truth would have to do. "Ever since you left." she said softly. Morgana's brow furrowed slightly. "I can tell."

Gwen didn't understand. "How?" she said dumbly. Morgana slowly opened her eyes. "Because normal people, when they pass out, wake up after five minutes."

Gwen hadn't thought about time. "How long have I been... Asleep?"

Morgana sighed, finally looking at the girl in her arms. "About three hours, going by the moon. Morgause is going to kill me." She muttered. Gwen narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Is this a dream?" She asked cautiously.

"Do you usually have dreams about fainting on me?" Moraga responded dryly.

Gwen shrugged. "You'd be surprised." If she had to bet money, Gwen had hers on dreaming. She must be. Surely.

They sat silently for a few minutes, and Gwen became increasingly aware that Morgana was still holding her. She couldn't bare to move away, but at the same time she felt like she had to. She decided that if Morgana didn't want her there she wouldn't be so she might as well make the most of the tolerance.

"I missed you." Gwen said quietly.

Morgana looked away from Gwen. "I missed you too." The words were quiet, but Gwen heard them. The two sat in silence for what felt like at least half an hour, but Gwen couldn't be sure.

"What's happening?" She said suddenly.

"I'd ask you the same thing." Morgana replied. "All this time, and you never used that necklace and all of a sudden in the middle of a totally nondescript night you decide to call me with it. Then, you faint in fear at the sight of me. There's such a thing as mixed messages, you know."

"Called you? I don't.." Gwen frowned. "What does the necklace have to do with it?"

Morgana sighed. "It's one of a pair. I have the other one. If you wear it and call my name, I can hear you. How else did you expect me to keep such a promise?"

A few things slotted into place. "The necklace is magical? That's why you're here... Because I said you're name..." Gwen thought aloud. "You remember that promise?"

Morgana scowled. "Yes, I remembered that promise. Why wouldn't I?"

Gwen looked sad for a moment. "I thought... I thought it was just me being... Sentimental- Why aren't you trying to kill me?" she added.

Morgana closed her eyes again. "Why would I?"

_Definitely dreaming. _

"You did the last time we met."

Morgana breathed deeply. "I wouldn't have actually _killed you_, Gwen."

"Oh well aren't you sweet?" Said Gwen sarcastically. "Really though. You seem... So... You..."

Morgana gave Gwen a look. "I've never been anyone else."

"No but... I feel like I'm talking to the Morgana I... I... Knew."

A faint flicker of annoyance passed through Morgana's eyes. "That's because you actually _are_ talking to her. Not screaming, or shouting, or calling guards, or drawing a sword, or chaining, or tormenting, or accusing, or burning alive, or..." she sighed. "Whatever else my own _brother_ could think to do to me on sight. I don't need to be anything but myself around you. You're not _them_, Gwen. You never had been. No matter what you feel towards me, I can't not trust you. It broke my heart losing you to Arthur."

Gwen didn't know what to say to that. It all felt a lot to take in.

"I lost everything to Arthur. My father, my friends, my birth-rights, my safety, my name, my home... My Gwen..."

Gwen felt a stab of pain go through her as she heard herself on the list. What made it harder was the endearment. She knew the second she heard it that that was absolutely completely and utterly what she was. She was Morgana's Gwen. She felt the tears rising again.

"You never lost me." She choked, throwing caution to the wind and burying her face against Morgana's neck just as Morgana had done to her so many times as she had cried after a nightmare. "Not really."

Morgana's voice trembled when she replied and her arms tightened gently around Gwen. "You're getting married, Gwen. To my brother. I couldn't have lost you more if I tried."

Gwen squeezed her eyes closed and inhaled Morgana's scent as deeply as possible. It quelled the tears. "I'm not marrying him... He banished me from Camelot. I'm not even sure I loved him to begin with. Just... Told myself I did as a distraction."

"Distract you from what?"

Gwen wasn't going to lie. "You." She felt like Morgana was going to reply, but the sound never came. Gwen looked up. Morgana was staring into the forest. The sun must have broken the horizon because though the sky was still dark, the trees definitely seemed cast in the dawn light rather than the moon light they'd bathed in previously.

"Someone's coming." Morgana said quietly. "Looking for you."

Gwen frowned. "Me? I'm meant to be up at dawn. Unless it's later than it seems, no one should know I'm gone."

Morgana tensed beneath her. "They're close... Gwen I have to go..."

Gwen clutched at Morgana's dress. "No!"

"I'm sorry Gwen. If they find me they'll kill me _and_ you." Said Morgana as she stood, pulling Gwen up with her.

"Then take me with you."

Morgana stroked Gwen's cheek. "Gwen, if I do that you'll be just as wanted as me."

Gwen sniffled as she tried to hold herself together. "I don't care anymore. Please don't send me back to that place."

Morgana felt a wave of guilt as she remembered herself say much the same thing to Morgause. "Gwen..."

A twig snapped off to their right. Morgana didn't think as she swept her arm around Gwen, murmuring something in the old language. Gwen didn't have time to realise it was magic before the world fell away from under them.


	3. Chapter 3

"_I wont be long_, she said. _Just going to make sure she's not hurt._ She said." Morgause's voice was quite clear from behind as the world re appeared around them. Gwen looked over Morgana's shoulder, still huddled against the sorceress and not really sure what was going on. Morgana had a look on her face that told Gwen she had expected to be greeted by her sisters ranting. Morgause had her back to them, slotting a hefty book back into its place among the thousand others on the monumental bookshelf that lined the wall. A fire was the main source of light in the room and in front of it were two chairs, both facing slightly inwards with a small table in between. Either side of the fire place stretched two incredible bookshelves that rose all the way to the ceiling. The rest of the room was relatively empty save for a dark-wooded desk and piles upon piles of books. Gwen decided the room must be serving as a library. She also got the feeling that Morgause wasn't aware the once-maid was with Morgana.

"Morgana, sometimes I _despair_ with you, I really do. You've been gone for four _hours_! You were meant to be checking she was safe not-" Morgause stopped mid sentence as she turned to face her sister and caught sight of Gwen peeking at her from under Morgana's arm.

"-Bringing her back here." she finished, the end of the sentence sounding more like a question as she raised an eyebrow at Morgana. Morgana opened her mouth to reply, but Instead looked at Gwen then to her sister, and then gave up with a long sigh.

"I'll tell you later." She resolved, for the first time that night sounding tired. The two sisters stared at each other in the dimly lit room and Gwen got the prickling feeling that their conversation was continuing by means other than the traditional.

"Okay." Morgause said softly. Gwen was slightly taken aback by just how tenderly she did say it. She'd only ever seen Morgause as a hardened knight and the sort of affection in her eyes as she looked at Morgana was enough to make Gwen wonder is she'd misjudged the blonde. Morgana nodded and turned to leave the room, gently tugging at Gwen to follow. Gwen did, turning back to look at Morgause once more before they left the room. She'd turned slightly in the time she'd been out of Gwen's gaze, and now stared thoughtfully into the flames of the fire which burned hot in the hearth. It lit her hair up into strands of liquid gold and gave her skin a warm glow. In that moment, she looked a far cry from the evil she'd been condemned as in Camelot.

Morgana lead her down a corridor long enough to let Gwen know without seeing from the outside that the building she was in was of an relatively impressive size. The stone walls were mostly bare, the only form of decoration at all being the candles in their black metal holders which lit their way. Gwen stayed close to Morgana. When they finally reached the end of the corridor Gwen had assumed looped round in _circles_ to answer for it's length they veered left and then quickly right. They arrived at a door which to her surprise, the once well mannered and elegant _lady_ Morgana _kicked_ open. Gwen followed her inside and looked around as Morgana crossed over to look out of the window. Dawn was now in full swing and the sky had turned a soft peach along the horizon. To her right was a fire place much like the one in the room they had arrived in and a wardrobe, to the left a four poster bed. Opposite the door was a window but Gwen was stood too far away from it to see anything but the sky. Under the window was another desk which Morgana seemed to be holding herself up with, using both hands to support her body weight with as she leaned over it, her head hanging like she didn't have the energy to hold it up anymore. Gwen immediately went into maid mode. Not just maid mode, but _Morgana's_ maid mode. She found herself assessing the other woman's stance, her breathing, her general aura- everything she needed to take into account before letting her experience with the inner workings of Morgana's mind come to the conclusion that the sorceress was attempting to shove a problem into a metaphorical box and that the metaphorical box just wasn't having it. Gwen had the sinking feeling she was the problem. Without thinking she came further into the room until she stood just behind Morgana and reached out to touch the woman's arm. Morgana's hair shielded her face but Gwen didn't mind. Half the reason she kept her hair so long, Morgana had once told Gwen, was because when she needed to she could hide behind it. Morgana didn't want her to see her face for whatever reason and Gwen respected that. So she stood quietly as she would have done before, not letting go of Morgana's arm, but also not going any further. After a while, Morgana stirred. She peeked out from behind her wall of hair and was met with Gwen's big doe eyes. She sighed.

"I really _have_ missed you." Morgana said simply.

Gwen smiled a little and softly squeezed Morgana's arm. "I really have missed you too."

Morgana pushed herself up from her position over the the desk and looked around, her gaze eventually settling on her bed. "There are no other beds prepared... Well, there's Morgause's but I don't think she'll go for giving it up unfortunately. If you want to sleep you'll have to share my bed because I don't have the energy to stay awake much longer."

Gwen shrugged, the idea actually sounding very appealing. "I've shared your bed hundreds of times. There was a time I actually found it very difficult to fall asleep _without_ sharing your bed." She didn't mention that the time was the present day. Morgana looked at her with something akin to fondness. "Really?"

Gwen just nodded.

"Okay then." The older woman said quietly. She undressed and got into bed without another word and Gwen realised as she followed suit that the act felt routine to the point of habitual. The second Gwen's head hit the pillow the fatigue caught up with her. Maybe it was the pure thrill of seeing Morgana again, _her_ Morgana again, or the relief of acceptance, or possibly even the slightly overwhelming fact that she had just willingly thrown away her old life and condemned herself a wanted woman to be killed on sight, or maybe it was all three colliding together. Whichever it was, it had shielded her from the exhaustion which now washed over her and not even the feeling of Morgana slowly wrapping her arms around her waist from behind could keep her awake longer than to let her come to the verdict that she felt, for the first time since she last slept by Morgana, happy.


	4. Chapter 4

It was midday before the exhaustion deemed her fit to awake. Gwen momentarily wondered as she lay curled against her once and future queen if she was just delusional. Whether she was really still in that horrible hovel of a village, doubled over in pain and overtaken with grief at the loss of everything she had once held dear. But her mind, surely, couldn't be capable of conjuring let alone sustaining _Morgana_ herself in all her devastating beauty and if it was then long live the madness. She couldn't help but smile a little as Morgana stirred behind her. There was a seconds silence and then, "...Gwen?" Gwen's smile spread further across her face and she turned around to face the woman who lay at her back. "I'm here, my lady." She murmured by default.

"My _name_ Is _Morgana_." The dark haired woman chided softly, tracing the back of her fingers over Gwen's jaw. Gwen sighed. She'd heard that so many times before cloaked in so many different shades of exasperation, yet she always reverted.

"Sorry. Here, my _Morgana._"

Morgana smiled and sat up slowly. "Close enough."

There was a soft tap at the door. "Morgana, I'm not going to risk coming in to behold the state of you but if you want to eat, there'll be food shortly. You too, Gwen."

Morgana rolled her eyes. "Morgause I assure you I'm in a perfectly _fine_ state."

"Yeah." Came the disbelieving response. Her voice was already further down the corridor and Morgana knew that it would be pointless trying to shout a response so instead turned back to Gwen.

Gwen smiled. "You know, I have nothing to wear." She said.

Morgana desperately tried not to let Gwen see that she found that an attractive idea. "Actually," The raven haired woman said, "You do. I have one of your dresses."

Gwen gave her a look. "You have.. One of my dresses?"

Morgana nodded. "Mmmm. Another of Morgause's pointless talents- she managed to get some of my possessions out of Camelot after I first left. One of your dresses must have still been in my chambers because it was in the pile that appeared. I... I never had the heart to get rid of it so... I kept it. It's in the wardrobe."

Gwen pushed herself off the bed and padded across to the wardrobe, pulling the doors open and running her eyes over the several dresses that hung loosely inside. It didn't take long to find hers partly due to the fact that it was the only one with any colour. Gold. It had been her favorite back _then_. It was one of the most expensive things her father had ever bought and she'd never been more grateful to him. She felt a twinge as she remembered him, beaming with pride as she'd held it up against herself and twirled around in a tight circle. He was the only other person in the world apart from Morgana to ever call her beautiful. Arthur had, of course told her she was as well but Gwen was more than aware he thought more with his balls than he did with his dwindling brain cells and so disregarded it as just... _Man-shite_. She pulled it out and wrapped it round her arms, turning back to Morgana. Her dad was gone now, killed by Uther. Morgana was the last person in the world she felt cared about her.

"You understand, don't you?" Morgana's eyes were soft but they sparkled slightly.

Gwen sighed. "No. Uther killed my father. I loved him, I was close to him. And he killed him. For nothing. But you? You lost so many... Over and over and you had to watch every time, and smile, and nod, right next to him for years and years." She swallowed hard and sat back down on the edge of the bed, clutching at the fabric of her dress. "So no. I don't understand what it's like. Because you went through so much more than me I can't even begin to imagine how much it hurt..." She stopped as her voice broke but fought back the tears. Morgana shifted behind her as she moved herself closer to Gwen. She tried to think of what to say but words failed her and she fell back on a quiet "Come on- Morgause is waiting." and pressed a slow kiss to the other woman's temple. She turned her back to let Gwen dress and then enjoyed the same courtesy as she dressed herself. By the time she had finished, Gwen had composed herself.

_She looks so nice in that dress. _If Morgana had had her way- and it was uncommon she didn't one way or another- she would have had Gwen wear the likes of it all the time back in the day. Unfortunately, she never _had _come up with an argument (at least one appropriate to be present before the king of prince of Camelot or in fact to even leave her head) for ditching the tabard-like dresses her then-maid usually wore and so never really got her scheme off the ground. She made her way over to Gwen and offered her arm which was gracefully accepted. Just because the world thought she was a hell-bent evil murderous bitch didn't mean she should forget how to be a lady. They found Morgause sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the fire musing over yet another oversized yellowing book.

"Have you slept?" Morgana asked suspiciously.

Morgause looked up. Gwen began her inner debate on Morgause from where it left off that morning. The woman really didn't seem evil. Her eyes always so_... Still. _Always still but ever vigilant. It felt like she could see you even if you were in another room. But they weren't cold. They had a strange warmth in them that Gwen hadn't really noticed before. She wondered if that was because she hadn't been looking or because it just wasn't there before. Maybe being with her sister had changed her for the better, and that was why Gwen remembered her so differently.

"Not since the day before yesterday. Grape?" The blonde said, offering a little bowl of black grapes to the two other women. Morgana rolled her eyes but took one anyway, throwing herself into one of the chairs and Gwen followed suit. Gwen watched as Morgana began to peel away the skin of the Grape with her teeth. "I'm going to call it... Uther." She announced as she ripped away the last little bit and then bit it viciously. Morgause gave Morgana a look which questioned the woman's mental state but carried on before she let it get to her.

"So, Gwen." Gwen lifted her eyes slowly from Morgana's disturbing display of dislike to Morgause's ever calm eyes. "How do you feel about bargaining with dragons?"

_What?_


	5. Chapter 5

"There are better ways than just _murder_."

Morgause smirked. "Good luck convincing _her_ of that, sweetheart."

Gwen scowled at Morgana. "Wouldn't it be better to get him on our side rather than just kicky stabby punchy magicy?"

Morgana rolled her eyes. "Oh beautifully put, Gwen. How do you suggest we get him, of all people, to just 'come to our side'?"

Gwen thought Morgana was taking the news that her arch enemy was in fact that scrawny, clumsy, flap-eared serving boy pretty well. The woman hadn't even broken anything. Gwen hadn't realised when she casually mentioned Merlin's real name that he had been plaguing Morgana from day one and was surprised how calmly she'd received the information. Now they all sat around the table in the main hall. The large room wasn't lit by any candles, only long shafts of light from the tall windows which swirled with newly disturbed dust. The main colour of the room was slate grey and it reminded Gwen of a huge tomb. But there were no spiderwebs or dead things or dirt and so Gwen was grateful- the place was even beginning to feel like home. She'd been here almost a week and she was no longer quite so intimidated by Morgause- who was actually a very nice person under the psycho-obsessive protective issues over Morgana- and Morgana herself, as it turned out, was perfectly capable of making her own bed. Well, _their_ bed. Nothing much had happened between them but no one ever did get around to finding her her own bed so she'd just sort of _sneakily _sort of _stayed_ in Morgana's. The sorceress, so far, hadn't complained. Now Morgause had declared it was time they sat down in this very empty room to work out what they were going to do now. Morgana had decided that the rest of the grapes were necessary for this and had begun skinning them the way she was so accustomed to.

Gwen sighed. "Maybe if I talked to him?"

Morgause shrugged. "It _could_ work."

Gwen could tell Morgana was still voting murder. "I suppose we could try.." She mumbled reluctantly, "But how are we going to get him out of Camelot, since none of us can get in?"

"With one of Morgause's pointless talents."

Morgause scowled as her sister covered her mouth with her hand to stop her laughing. "What do you mean pointless?"

"Nothing, it's just not the most helpful spell you've ever learned." Morgana said, trying to placate the blonde.

Morgause gave Morgana an impervious look. "Well if it's so unhelpful I'll refrain from using it."

Gwen rolled her eyes at the two. She turned back to Morgause. "If you got things out of Camelot, can you get something in?"

"Not a human." she said cautiously.

Gwen shook her head. "No, no, but if I wrote Merlin a note could you get it into his chambers?"

Morgause looked thoughtful. "I can't guarantee it would be exactly on his bed or anything, but I could get it into his chambers, yeah."

"Then we'll do that. I'll leave an anonymous note saying to meet him by that tree with the runes carved into it."

Morgana raised her eyebrows as she pulled a long strip of skin from her latest grape. "Tree?"

Gwen waved her hand. "Yeah, theres this tree I overheard Gaius asking him to meet him by once and I may have followed him- it's a long story."

Morgana smiled. "What exactly are you going to say to him?"

Gwen sighed. "I don't know. But I can try."

"What if he tries to kill us all?"

Gwen gestured towards the woman's sister. "I'm sure Morgause would bludgeon him or magicy him or eat him or _something_ before the thought even fully formed in his head."

Morgause just smiled disconcertingly. Morgana sighed. "Okay. If you think it might work." she said defeatedly. "But I still think we should kill him."

Gwen smiled. "Well you never know. I'll go and write something- maybe he'll recognize my hand writing and that'll persuade him he's not being set up to walk into a trap."

Morgana raised her eye brow. "But he is being set up to walk into a trap."

Gwen gave her a look. "No, he isn't, because we're _not going to kill him_. _Are we?"_

Morgana picked another victim from the bowl of doomed grapes and sat back in her seat, crossing her arms as she set to work on it. "Apparently not."

Morgause smiled and took a deep breath. "Well we can see who's on top here."

Morgana promptly lobbed her half skinned grape at her sister. "Shut up, or I'll make you." Morgause deflected it easily with the back of her hand. "That would be terribly ambitious of you, _baby_ sister." She drawled. Morgana just huffed.

Gwen stood up and brushed her hair behind her ear. "Okay, I'm going to leave you two to it before I get caught up in something I don't _totally_ understand." She left the room swiftly and made her way to the make shift library that she'd first arrived in. The room was a lot warmer that the one she'd been sitting in for the last half hour and she settled down at the desk more than comfortably. She pulled some fresh parchment carefully out of the dangerously leaning stack and picked up the quill up from where it had lain since its last use. She bit her lip as she tried to figure out what to write in her head, scribbling down but quickly crossing out the ideas as they came to her.

_Merlin, _

_Please _

_I need you to_

She sighed as she just resorted to simplicity.

_The tree at sundown._

She folded the paper sharply above the message then carefully ripped it free from the abandoned ideas until it was a crisp, neat rectangle. She stared at it for a little while, wondering if it could ever work. He would meet her- that she was almost sure of. But could she really convince him to even _consider_ Morgana over Arthur? To her, it was a no-brainer, but she knew Merlin wasn't her and she knew he had very different ways of thinking.

"You think he'll go?"

Gwen nearly had a heart attack. "_Morgana! _Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Morgana frowned defensively. "I wasn't sneaking. I walked in. _Normally_. But do you?"

"I think he'll meet me, yes. It's the bit afterwards I'm not so sure about." Gwen sighed.

Morgana twirled her finger through a stray curl that hung loosely in front of Gwen's cheek. "Morgause will send the note over in a minute. What's planned for the rest of the day until you have to go?"

Gwen smiled sweetly. "Oh I know exactly what I'm going to be doing for the rest of the day."

Morgana looked at her expectantly. "What?"

Gwen stood to face Morgana and put her hands on her hips. "I'm going to brush my way through that bloody hair."


	6. Chapter 6

Gwen stood back to behold her masterpiece.

"Is it over?" Morgana whined from her seat in front of the mirror.

Gwen considered. "Mmm. Think so." She ran her fingers slowly through Morgana's newly brushed hair. Morgana was scowling as she stared at her reflection.

"I look like the king's ward again." She muttered.

Gwen put her head to one side. "No you don't." She mused. "You look exactly like you did two hours ago, but less feral."

Morgana sighed, patting at the top of her head as if she expected it to bite. "If you say so. Can't I just.. Just.."

Gwen glared at her. "Morgana, don't you dar-"

Morgana put her fingers through her hair and fluffed it up. Gwen brandished the hair brush like a weapon. "Morgana!"

Morgana grumbled and smoothed it back down, but keeping it so that it had just a bit more volume that the utter flatness Gwen had beaten it into.

Gwen gestured towards Morgana's fluffed hair. "Why?" she said bluntly.

Morgana shrugged. "I do whatever the voices tell me to."

"Yeah, well trained, isn't she?"

Both women turned to look at the door. Morgause leaned against the frame, smiling wryly at her own joke. Morgana looked nonplussed. "I'd like to say I'm not, but I am." She stood and gestured to Morgause. "You can hardly talk though. You stalked me like a lost cat in Camelot."

Morgause frowned. "Yeah, probably more than was appropriate."

Something suddenly hit Gwen. "Not wanting to interrupt whatever bizarre... Reminiscence that is happening in the confusing world of the psychic-sisters, but I don't actually know where I am. Which means I'm not going to be able to meet Merlin without a little direction."

Morgana looked thoughtful. "We're days away from Camelot. I'll have to take you."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I feel like a child being babysat."

Morgana raised her eye brows. "You can always walk."

"Yeah, alright, I'll take the former."

Morgause pushed off from the door frame and meandered over to the window. "You really think he'll come around?"

Gwen shrugged. "I did, didn't I?"

Morgana smiled. "I'm not sure the same 'techniques' will work on him."

Gwen smiled. "Fair point. If all else fails, I'll just have to resort to blackmail. Either he comes with me to hear us out, or I tell Arthur he's got magic."

Morgause grinned. "That's more like it."

"I mean- I wouldn't, but... You know, as long as he believe I would..." Gwen mumbled, flattening down her borrowed dress. It was Morgana's, so naturally black, but it actually fitted quite well and she couldn't say she wasn't happy with the look.

"Just dob him in if you want..." Morgana mumbled.

Morgause sighed. "No, because that would be counter productive to the general goal of 'no aimless slaughter of the magical', wouldn't it?"

Morgana huffed. "Magical moron.."

Gwen couldn't help but smile just a _bit_. Morgana was cute when she sulked. Gwen stepped closer and rested her head on the sorceress' shoulder. "It's not fair, I want to be in the magic club."

Morgana smiled and put her arm around Gwen. "It's okay, I'll do the magic for you. Morgause can cover for me on days off."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Now I _really_ feel like a child."

"Well, maybe I'll find a sorcerer one day that I don't like, and I can dupe Morgause into not being there, and I can sacrifice him and beg the goddess his powers be given to you, and maybe not even get killed in the process."

Morgause turned away from the window. "That's _really_ against the rules."

"I don't like to think of them as rules, more... Guidelines." Morgana mused.

Morgause gave her a look. "Tell that to the druids when the come to hunt you down."

"As I remember it, the druids owe me one for Mordred."

Morgause snorted. "You better hope they really love Mordred then."

Gwen smiled as she remembered him. "So he was definitely okay then, in the end?"

Morgana nodded. "Yeah, he was okay." She took one last look at herself in the mirror before mumbling something about stupid and then leaving to find grapes. Gwen was starting to think she had a bit of a problem with the things- where was she getting them from, anyway?

Eight hours later and Gwen was out of her comfort zone. Morgana, despite Gwen's previous futile protests had taken her to the tree where she was meant to be meeting Merlin. She'd told Gwen to use the necklace to call her back later, but that it was unlikely she was going to be able to make that journey on pure magic a second time and especially not with an extra person so to prepare for Morgause instead. Now she sat in a shadow, concealed by her cloak waiting as the sun shivered and dipped below the horizon in a warm summers haze for Merlin to show up. If the was going to show up. She sighed. She didn't know what in hell she was going to say to him if he did. She didn't even know if he'd stick around to hear it. A rustling sound off to her right made her freeze, straining to stay still and listen past the confines of her hood. It came again and she held her breath. The sound gradually got louder and louder before stopping dead.

"Show yourself."

Gwen let her breath out slowly. _It's just Merlin, It's just Merlin, It's just Merlin... _She peeked around the side of her hood in the direction Merlin'd voice came from.

"...Gwen?"

"Hi." She said lamely, standing from he huddled position at the foot of the tree. Merlin came a bit closer, picking his way over roots and brambles. "I got your note," He said, pulling his yellowy sleeve away from a persistent thorn. "How did you get it into my chambers? There are guards everywhere these days, Arthur thinks everyones out to stab him.."

Gwen waved her hand. "Oh, I didn't, Morgause..." She trailed off. _Oh shit it. _She had at least hoped to get her side of the last few months out before going anywhere near that name, and at least get him a slightly past that before getting to Morgana's. Merlin frowned.

"Morgause? Gwen... Don't tell me you're with that evil-"

Gwen felt a sudden sting of anger as she heard Arthur in his voice. "She's _not_ evil! And It's not _her_ I'm with- I mean- I don't mean-" She stumbled and eventually stopped before she totally ruined her chances of this conversation continuing.

"What do you mean it's not '_her'_ you're with? Who else is going to be hanging around-" A strange shadow fell over Merlin's face and he pulled his head back in disbelief. "Ohh, no. Gwen, _no_."

_Well done Gwen. _Well there was no going back now.


	7. Chapter 7

Merlin was disconcertingly quiet as Gwen finished her story. She hadn't known where to start but once she had found a footing everything sort of came pouring out. They were both sat under the tree and Gwen was only glad that Merlin hadn't got up and walked off half way through her anecdote.

"I just can't see it." He said quietly, playing with his sleeve. "I cant believe she's anything but evil, yet at the same time I cant believe you'd lie." He sighed. "Last time I saw her she tried to _kill_ me."

Gwen frowned. "Don't say that like you never tried to kill _her_."

Merlin picked at the sparse grass he sat on. "She's a traitor. She has no manner of loyalty."

Gwen couldn't contain her incredulity. "Merlin, she's traded _everything _in order to try and help her people. _Your_ people. To stop them being slaughtered by Uther and now Arthur and their senseless hate. What have you done? Nothing. You stood by and watched your own kind get condemned everyday and didn't lift a finger to stop it. You turned Morgana away when she went to you for help all that time ago, I know you did because it was _me_ who held her for hours when she cried her heart out afterwards. Yet it's _Morgana_ who has the loyalty issues? You had Gaius to guide you. She had nobody. You can hardly blame her for going with her sister."

Merlin stared at his feet. "I didn't mean to let them die... I always thought Arthur would be different." He looked up at her. "If I could go back, I would help her. If I knew..."

Gwen sighed. "You should have helped her regardless."

Merlin threw down the blades of grass in his hand. "I know. And I'm sorry, I really am. But that doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to walk right up to her."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Merlin, she's not thrilled about the idea either. She knows you're Emrys. But she's willing to let you come back with me and give you a chance. You're walking into a castle containing the joint forces of Morgana _and_ Morgause. If it were a trap and she wanted you to go there on the basis of revenge, she would have made it sound at least a little bit doable."

Merlin sighed. "I can't just disappear."

"I did."

"Arthur had you _banished_."

Gwen wondered if it was blackmail time. "If he found out your secret, he'd have _you executed_."

Merlin looked almost sad. "I know. Lately he's been worse than when I first met him."

Gwen smirked. "He was an ass. Actually, I remember a time when he really _was_ an ass."

Merlin grinned. "Those _ears_. I don't know how I kept a straight face when he started braying."

They both laughed, dispelling the unease of the night around them. Gwen took a deep breath, still smiling. "Come on, please? Just give her a chance? You can always run back to Camelot and say she kidnapped you if you want."

Merlin sighed heavily. "I don't know. If I go and it does turn out to be a trap, it's going to look like I believed something really stupid."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "No one would know, Merlin."

"I would know." He mumbled.

"Just... hear her out. If it helps, you at least get the day off from bending over backwards for Queen Arthur."

Merlin considered for a moment. "Okay. Okay, I'll hear her out. But only because I owe her one... I know I should have helped her."

Gwen smiled. "Thank you."

"How are we meant to get to wherever she is?" He said, looking around as if he expected Morgana to jump out from behind a tree. Gwen looked down at her necklace. "I just have to think really hard and this necklace does a magicy... thing."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "I'll take your word for it."

"It's a perfectly valid word."

"Bloody-" Merlin nearly fell over as Morgause spoke from behind him.

The blonde smiled at Gwen and Gwen smiled back. Merlin just stood, not really knowing what to do.

"Merlin." Morgause said in acknowledgement. Merlin just nodded, obviously on guard. The blonde strolled casually over to Gwen and put an arm around her, then held a hand out to Merlin. He stared at it with something akin to suspicion, before gingerly taking it. The second his hand touched hers, Morgause's eyes flashed and they were gone, leaves spiraling up into the still air around where the three had stood. They reappeared in the same room Gwen had first arrived in. The fire was, as always going strong in the hearth but this time the room was empty. Morgana was elsewhere in the castle and it showed on Merlins face as he scanned the empty shadows. Morgause immediately let go of his hand but was less rushed to move away from Gwen. It made Gwen strangely happy to know that Morgause had accepted her.

"Wait here." She said, turning her back on the two and leaving to find her sister Gwen assumed.

"So, where are we?" He said slowly.

Gwen shrugged. "Don't know. Days from Camelot and surrounded by trees is all I've gathered. I don't really care to be honest."

Merlin was about to reply when Morgause came back through the door, Morgana trailing somewhat reluctantly behind her. Her eyes met Merlins and she sighed. Gwen couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Before she could act on her pity, Morgause's arm was back around her and she was being swept out of the room and down the corridor, leaving the two sorcerers alone.

"It's best just to leave them to it." The blonde explained, even though Gwen hadn't opened her mouth.

"Yeah, I guess."

Morgause let go of her as they entered the room they had been sat in that morning and took a seat at the large table. Gwen sat down next to her and sighed.

"I hope they don't kill each other." She said bluntly.

Morgause smiled. "I'd know before Morgana knew herself if that was what was going to happen and I doubt Merlin would be quite that stupid." The blonde said reassuringly.

Gwen hoped that was true.

"So, you're still in my sister's bed."

Gwen nearly choked on thin air as Morgause's question caught he off guard. "I- uh.. I.. Yeah..."

Morgause laughed. "Well _that_ was articulate. I don't mind, I was merely observing. I might be overbearingly protective but I don't chose who she shares her bed with, I'm not quite _that_ bad."

Gwen smiled sheepishly. "I don't have a bed of my own, so I just kind of stayed in hers."

Morgause raised an eyebrow. "You think she doesn't know that? She missed you in the time when you were gone- she doesn't _want_ you out of her bed."

Gwen had never considered that. "Really?"

Morgause gave her a look. "Gwen, she _adores_ you. And we both know you at least feel something for her."

Gwen looked down at the table's surface. "Deep down I've loved her since the day I set eyes on her."

Morgause smiled. "Well, you have my blessing. Morgana is a powerful sorcerer but she was lonely; erratic. Now she's got you I think theres more of a chance for her to stay grounded. I think now she can finally trust herself enough to get on with her life, whether that means claiming the throne which is rightfully hers or opening a flower shop- she can actually do it now and I can't thank you enough for that."

Gwen was quiet for a moment. "And I'll help her whichever she chooses."


	8. Chapter 8

It was quite often that the first thing that Gwen knew about Morgana's presence was when pale arms slipped quietly around her waist from behind. Gwen had always meant to the sorceress about it; ask why she did it or what she was thinking. But every time it happened all she could do was close her eyes and lean backwards and rest her head against the crook of the older woman's neck and just .._oh_. To Gwen these moments were so precious that she couldn't bare to risk wasting even one of them with words and questions and so every time she _mean to_ bring it up, yes _meant to_... She never quite made it to opening her mouth before she gave in and told herself _next time_...

It was one of these times now when Gwen found herself stood by the window in her shared room making excuses not to risk her temporary bubble of peace and happy. It had been two days since Merlin had arrived and he was slowly doing Morgana's head in. She had enough going on without Gwen starting on her too. It wasn't actually _him _that the sorceress found irritating, it was his ability to sit down and shut up and keep to himself and be _useful_. Gwen knew the sorceress had found it difficult to adjust to life with the man she had sworn to kill living in one of her spare rooms and the fact that she couldn't seem to find anything to pull him up on wasn't helping. Morgause had, of course, been doing her best to keep the peace but there had been a few instances where grapes had been flung and some rather unsavory words had been muttered. Gwen had tried to stay out of it. She had to admit though, she was impressed- not only was Merlin still there, he had taken all of it really very well. He hadn't retaliated or muttered words back, nor had he thrown any fruit at Morgana's back then quickly looked away and pretended he hadn't to annoy the woman. In fact, he seemed to be rather liberated. He could be himself, read and practice magic, have a lie in, eat what he wanted, do what he wanted, and just generally relax which was more than he could have dreamed of as Arthur's man servant. Morgause had even given him some lessons on creating magic himself to be perfect for need rather than just reciting things he'd read which were so-so in efficiency. Gwen hadn't even realised that was possible.

"What're you thinking?"

Gwen smiled. _Beaten to it_. "Nothing" she murmured, opening her eyes. Mentioning the M word would definitely jeopardise the moment.

Morgana turned her head to look at the woman in her arms. "You're a terrible liar, do you know that?"

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "How do you know? Could be a double bluff."

"A double bluff would mean there _was _something."

Gwen thought about it. "Shut up." She eventually mumbled. Morgana smiled and held Gwen tightly to her.

"Okay. Do you want to come and pick grapes with me? I threw all the ones I had at Merlin's back."

"Pick?"

Morgana twirled Gwen around in her arms so she was facing her. "From the solarium. Where else did you think they were coming from?"

Gwen made a face "Solarium? We have a bloody solarium?"

Morgana nodded. "Yeah, Morgause's one true love. Botany. Apart from extreme obsession and magical warfare, but each to her own."

Gwen turned her attention to Morgana's rather lovely collar bones, tracing her finger over them lightly. "Well there's a hobby i never would have guessed from her. I always just assumed she magicked them up or something. Are you sure the plants aren't all poisonous?"

"Not sure at all- coming?"

Gwen smiled and nodded despite the fact she was actually quite happy where she was. Morgana kissed the top of her head briefly before grabbing her hand and leading her out of the room and to the southern wing of the castle which Gwen had never really bothered with, sticking more to the east and north. As she followed after Morgana she started to wander if the wing was abandoned since there were not traces of life at all in the dour corridors- she even saw her first cobweb since she had arrived. The corridor turned sharply left and as Gwen rounded the corner she found herself confronted with much the same as the last corridor but this time at the end there stood a tall window which Gwen assumed looked out over the grounds. As she drew near no it she had to stop her jaw dropping as she looked down at the structure below. A huge hexagon based room with walls and a domed roof constructed purely of glass and metal stood proudly in the sunlight, connected to the castle by a short corridor also made of glass. Inside it she could see plants and trees and flowers and fruits of every colour, all blooming and beautiful in what Gwen assumed was their optimum environment.

"How have I been here two weeks and not known about this?" Gwen said more to herself as she pressed her palm against the cool window pane.

Morgana shrugged. "Well, it's kind of Morgause's territory- she comes here for privacy a lot so I never really thought to say. Usually even _I'm_ shooed out but I'm allowed in for grapes."

Gwen smiled and took her eyes away from the gleaming bubble of glass below. "You have a thing for grapes, don't you?"

Morgana frowned. "Maybe a little."

They made their way down a spiral stone staircase which almost reminded Gwen of Camelot. Almost. Morgana opened a thick wooden door for her and Gwen immediately felt a rush of warmth in the cool air. They passed through the glass tunnel and Gwen saw through the ceiling the window she'd just been stood at. She looked back to where she was going as Morgana opened the final door between them and the solarium and felt another rush of warmth against her face. The inside was one of the most beautiful things she'd every laid eyes on, Morgana apart, and for a moment she just stood speechless in the entrance, staring at all the different trees and leaves and exotic plants with their delicate flowers of every colour imaginable. There were three long lines of tables down the stone centre of the room, over 20 meters long and with just enough room between each to walk, each overflowing with smaller plants and flowers in little pots. On the left there was a maze of head height trees in a massive kidney shaped earth flower bed, laden with citrus fruits and behind them a chest height wall covered in white lattice which were in turn covered in the climbing vines of what Gwen assumed were the grapes they'd come for. On the far right was a copper canopy created by the leaves of slender yet tall silver barked trees, strung together with thick furred vines, their bases hidden by huge brightly coloured flowers and smaller bushes all drooping under the weight of swollen berries. Gwen couldn't see properly to the opposite end of the room but from what she could make out it seemed to be a 8-10 tiered herb garden, with each tier about a meter in width. There were curved white stone stairs on either side.

"Gorgeous isn't it?"

Gwen nodded dumbly.

"With a little help from magic, each third is kept at a different temperature and humidity. The left," Morgana said as she led Gwen in just that direction, motioning with her hands, "Is quite hot and dry, the centre is just a little warmer than room temperature and over on the right it's both hot _and_ humid, a little too much for my liking actually."

Gwen peered around, taking it all in. By the time they walked the path through the fruit trees and arrived at the well covered latticed wall, Gwen could feel the moisture had left the air and an intense, parched heat had arisen which wasn't natural even for the sunlight that the roof let in. She could also see now that Morgause was in fact in the room with them. She'd previously been obscured by a tree, but Gwen could see her quite clearly now. She was stood, still as always in front of a tall stemmed flower which even though it was planted in the ground still came up to her face, delicately turning over the long slender orange petals over one at a time as if she was checking for injuries but with no such concern of her face. Almost as soon as Gwen's eyes set on her she looked up and Gwen wondered if she was one of those people who could feel it when someone was looking at them. With such an immediate reaction, Gwen guessed she had to be. The blonde smiled and went back to the petals.

"It started out with alchemy," Morgana explained and she picked up a little basket from the floor. "She always loved alchemy, especially poisons. A lot of these plants have poisonous properties- on their own their harmless but when mixed together some can be really quite nasty. This is where she first brought me, when Merlin poisoned me- if she didn't have such a vast knowledge of poison, she wouldn't have had such a vast knowledge of their cures let alone how to make them. So in a way, it's her dedication to finding different ways to kill people that saved my life."

Gwen looked back to Morgause, who had now moved onto a different plant. She had definitely misjudged her. "Well they do say poison is a woman's weapon. Did Merlin bring it up? You know... The poison thing?"

Morgana sighed as she twisted off a bunch of her favorite black orbs from their branch. "He apologized, if that's what you mean."

"Good.." Gwen hadn't spoken to Merlin for a long time after that. She'd never been so angry. She reached under some leaves and pulled off another bunch of Grapes and added them to the basket that hung over Morgana's arm. When they had enough, Morgana suggested they get out of Morgause's hair and throw some of their new ammunition at Merlin. Gwen rolled her eyes and told her not to play with her food, although Morgana wasn't really sure she knew whether Gwen was referring to the grapes or Merlin or both. Gwen cast one last look over her shoulder as they left the solarium and found herself strangely cold as they made their way back through the corridors to the library room in the normal temperatures of the castle.

"You never did tell me exactly where and what this place is, you know." Gwen said as she pushed the door to and stood in front of the ever going fire.

"We're roughly half way between Camelot of the Northern boarder. Morgause found this place before visiting Camelot for the first time and cleaned it up a bit. She found the solarium and planted a few things in there, but there wasn't much to start off with. When I was brought here I was lucky she had everything she needed to cure me. Over the next year she slowly filled it up with fast growing plants which grew even faster again with the care she gives them and now it looks like it does. Answer your question?"

Gwen smiled. "Yep." she sighed. "I'd like to go north one day."

Morgana looked surprised. "Really?"

"With you, of course, and Morgause."

Morgana put her arm around Gwen's shoulders. "One day we will."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N just to say (because I suddenly realised I never did when I meant to a while ago) this is set after the 4th series and before the 5th. Just in case I didn't make it clear (which is probable) 1) Arthur never came back for Gwen when she was banished. So we all have to imagine she just stayed there in Ealdor. 2) (although I'm really hoping you guys got this yourselves) Morgause is still alive, well, unscathed. Guias never magic-yd her. That will be all :)

Morgause sat down next to Gwen quietly. How ever much she wanted to join the blonde's sister in bed, something wouldn't let her sleep. She'd left Morgana asleep and padded bare foot down the cool stone stairs with the intentions of going to sit by the nearest fire but for some reason she'd caught a glimpse of the moon through one of the arched windows and had sat on the floor with her back to the wall to watch it for the time. She had nearly died of fright when she'd glanced around and seen Morgause stood, illuminated by the pale white light just a few feet away from her, still as always. Now she sat beside her on the floor and Gwen _completely_ wasn't sure why.

Gwen looked away from the moon to Morgause. "Does she still have nightmares?"

Morgause smiled sadly. "Every night. But now she's so darkened on the inside they don't wake her any more... They upset her, yeah, but she doesn't have the energy to waste on them with everything else that's going on. I try and help but... Well, I'm not... I'm not _you_."

Gwen frowned. "What?"

"I've told you before that she adores you, she must have told you too. And you're still in her bed, are you not?"

Gwen turned back to the moon to hide her little smile, though she was sure Morgause had seen it. "Yes, I am. She told me that it broke her heart to lose me to Arthur but that doesn't mean she loves me _now_. And you can't know for sure that I'm sleeping with her because there really are no other beds."

"What, you mean like Merlin's?"

Gwen didn't have an answer for that. Gwen hadn't even _thought_ of that. "He... Has a bed?"

Morgause gave her a look. "No, he's in with me."

Gwen began to smile but suddenly caught herself. "Wait, you are kidding right?"

"Of course I am! He tried to hurt Morgana." Morgause half scowled half pouted, and in that moment she was so very like Morgana it made Gwen stare a little because it was the first time she had ever _really_ seen a family resemblance.

Gwen shrugged. "Well Morgana tried to hurt me once."

"But she wouldn't have. She came home and cried on her bed for hours after that fight. Merlin, however, actually wanted Morgana dead."

Gwen looked saddened and her hand automatically went to the necklace the hung around her neck. "I don't want to make her hurt..."

"Then stop worrying and go back to bed, because she's just woken up and she's about to come looking for you. Talk to her if you want but it doesn't matter honestly, because she loves you and I know that and _you_ know that and at this this point, probably the only person who doesn't know that is Merlin."

"How do you know she just woke up?"

"I'm her sister, I'm meant to know when she wakes up."

Gwen pulled a face. "I didn't know when my brother woke up."

Morgause sighed. "Morgana's magic is very heavily connected to her emotions- she carries around a sort of static with her when she's awake because everything that's going on in her mind seems to keep her magic poised and ready. When she sleeps, even though she has nightmares, that energy dims quite substantially and when she awakes, it picks up again. I can feel it in the air, and so I always know when she goes to sleep and when she wakes up."

Gwen thought about that for a moment, finding it strangely fascinating. "Have I been living here with you too long, or did that actually make sense?" She said finally, half smiling, half confused.

Morgause patted her shoulder and stood. "I expect the latter is consequential of the former." She smiled, gestured to the stairs which led back to Gwen's shared room and then left, presumably for her own. Gwen sat for a few seconds after Morgause had disappeared around a the corner before quietly getting up and returning to her and Morgana's room. She hovered outside the door for a few seconds before sighing and pushing it open, slipping inside. Morgana was, as her sister had predicted, sat up amongst her covers and quite awake. Gwen smiled at her, crossed the room and sat down on her side of the bed, pulling her legs up and folding them away beneath her.

Morgana turned to look at her and leaned in to brush a small rouge curl out of Gwen's face and behind her ear. "Where did you go?"

Gwen smiled appreciatively. "Just downstairs. I watched the moon for a bit." She decided to leave her conversation with Morgause out.

"I woke up and you were gone... I was worried something had happened.."

"No, everyone's fine. Merlin has a bed." She blurted.

_What did you say that for?_

Morgana tipped her head to one side. "I can find you one if you really want." She said quietly. Gwen shook her head immediately, pushing herself up so she was in a kneeling position in front of those willow eyes. She looked down at her knees. "No... I can't sleep without you."

Morgana reached out and tilted Gwen's chin up until the other woman looked at her. "And I can't sleep without you.."

There were a quiet few seconds between them in which Gwen couldn't take her eyes away from Morgana's and she felt the butterflies slowly rise inside as she felt Morgana run the side of her thumb along her jaw and lean in towards her. Gwen's eyes fluttered closed as their lips touched and suddenly the world didn't matter anymore. A faint noise escaped from Gwen as the two fell softly back onto the pillows, their lips moving against each others with surprising ease. They stayed there for a minute or two, Morgana almost on top of Gwen but more to one side, Gwen's with her fingers tangled through the ends of her hair. The thought of having to brush it again didn't bother Gwen as she felt more than a few years of her life were suddenly being given justice all at once. Somewhere in the darker regions of her mind, she wished Uther could have seen them together now. She wished he could be risen from his grave and forced to look. He deserved it after what he did to her father. She cast the thought aside and after a few more seconds, Morgana slowly pulled away. Gwen slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at Morgana's gently lit face.

_Nobody should be able to kiss like that and then look so innocent. _Gwen thought to herself as Morgana let her head fall down onto the pillows below, not taking her eyes away from Gwen's, both of their breathing a little faster than usual. "I love you." Gwen said without thinking.

"I love you too." Morgana replied immediately.

Relief rushed over the younger woman as she heard the words. She made a mental note to trust Morgause with _everything_ from then on.

"Stay with me?" The sorceress asked quietly.

Gwen blinked. "I'll always stay with you." She smiled and moved her hand to link her little finger around Morgana's. "Forever."


	10. Chapter 10

"And you're sure it's so soon?"

Morgana nodded, more interested in trying to monitor how Gwen was taking things than her sisters interrogation. Morgause too looked to Gwen, who was stood quietly staring out of the window on the other side of the room, her back to the conversation between the sisters making it hard to gauge how she felt about the latest events heralded by Morganas broken dreams. It was early morning, not long past the bird song of dawn and Morgause's room was still heavily dependent on the fuzzy warmth of the fire for illumination and comfort against the crisp chill of morning that seeped in through the stone walls of the castles rooms and into the residents bones. The blonde glanced at Merlin who was equally quiet leaning against the wall opposite Morgause's bed and then turned back to Morgana. "Then you both should go. You said they arrived under the new moon, that gives you six days head start, seven including today. I'll stay here with Merlin and we'll deal with them."

Morgana frowned, taking her eyes off Gwen's painfully still figure to regard her sister with minor outrage. "I'm not leaving you here!"

"Morgana, if Arthur's bringing the_ elite _here then it's not me that needs to be worried." She turned again and looked pointedly at Gwen's back as if the motion explained all there could be said. She then gestured to Merlin, herself and Morgana. "We have magic. We can use a sword." She lowered her voice to little more that was audible as she tried to further reason with her sister. "They'd cut her down where she stood and we couldn't protect her and fight off the others, not now they know the secret that that _stupid_ bloody dragon breathed on that _stupid_ bloody sword. Are you saying you'd let that happen? You let Gwen just be killed?" She hissed. Morgana's eyes darkened and for a moment Morgause was reminded just how dangerous her sister could be when provoked as she felt the tension in Morgana's magic rise.

"Take that back." She growled. Morgause was about to stand up and slap the arrogance out of her sister when Gwen turned suddenly. "No, _please_, don't start fighting because of me!"

Morgause sighed heavily and looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry Gwen. I didn't mean to talk about you like you weren't there." Gwen turned back to the window sadly. She felt like this was her fault, like she was just a thorn in their sides. Morgana gave her sister a caustic look, standing and crossing the room to pull Gwen into a hug and just hold her whilst she still could. Merlin tried to think of something useful to say, but the words eluded him so he just stayed quiet as he continued to try and decide whether Morgana and Gwen were slightly more than just good friends.

Morgause sighed again and let her eyes bore into the fire. "Tell me again what you saw."

Morgana stroked her fingers through Gwen's hair affectionately as she felt the young woman begin to tremble against her. "I saw..." She hugged Gwen tighter to her. "_Him_ and fifty men, not knights, the elite of Uther's personal guard which were dismissed after he died riding north towards us, then their arrival here by night under the new moon and their attack. After that I just saw him stood over Gwen with a sword and there was nothing I could do.." Morgana trailed off before her emotions because too apparent in her quickly crumbling voice and rested her forehead against the top of Gwen's head.

Morgause leaned forward where she sat and pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes closed tightly. "Morgana... I'm sorry, but Gwen's vulnerable and you know she is. If she had magic to fall back on then maybe we stood a chance but short of hiding her in a cupboard... I don't know what we can do to protect her."

Morgana turned her head so that he cheek was still softly rested where her forehead had been and looked at her sister a little more gently than before. "What if she did have magic?"

"Morgana you can't do that."

"Why? Because the Druids frown on it? The Druids aren't here right now in case you hadn't noticed, and nor is their rule book so I don't see why I should be in any way inclined to follow it."

Seeing how serious her sister was, Morgause started to feel desperate. "Morgana you might not even _live_ through such a ritual never mind succeed!"

Morgana scowled petulantly. "I don't care."

Her sister made a face. "Where would you even find a sorcerer or sorceress to sacrifice, anyway? Or are you going to turn on me?"

"No of course not." Morgana said quickly. "But I could find one. We have records of the ones you met on your journey south to Camelot- you must have met _one _you didn't like."

Morgause nodded. "Plenty, but that still doesn't make it okay to _kill_ them. What if Gwen says no, anyway? You can't force her."

Gwen looked up slowly with large doe eyes from Morgana's neck. "No to what exactly?"

"Morgana thinks it would be an idea to travel north to find a sorcerer and kill him in a capriciously lethal ritual then beg the triple goddess that his powers be given to you to then travel back here so that you can protect yourself when Arthur comes." Said Morgause in one go.

Gwen looked up at Morgana. "Not if it's lethal, no way. I have nothing against magic, I wish more than anything I was born with it, but I refuse to get you hurt."

Morgana sighed. "She said _capriciously _lethal, that means not _always_ lethal. Sort of."

"I know what it means. I'm not risking it, I'd rather die here and keep you safe." Gwen said quietly.

Morgana felt the urge to just start crying creep up on her again and she swallowed hard. "That's not going to happen."

"You're a high priestess."

Everyone turned to look at Merlin, nearly forgotten in the corner.

Morgana sighed. "So?"

Merlin frowned. "The Triple Goddess doesn't kill her own priestess'."

Morgause shrugged. "It's uncommon but it could happen."

Merlin shook his head. "No, I read it in the book Guias gave me ages ago- as a high priestess, you're protected against death magic. I'm sure of it, there was a whole chapter..."

Morgause looked uncertain. "Do you have that book?"

Merlin looked grim. "It's still in Camelot. But I know, I _know_ that's what it said."

Morgause chewed on her lip for a moment then looked up at her sister and the woman in her arms in resignation. "You have the information. At the end of the day it's not my choice." She stood and left the room and Morgana watched her go, still holding onto Gwen like the younger woman might float away. Merlin looked like he wanted to say something but eventually just followed Morgause out of the room, more than likely back to his own. Gwen breathed slowly and returned her head to its favoured resting place against Morgana's neck. Morgana resumed running her fingers through Gwen's hair.

"I promise, if you'll let me do this, I'll be okay."

Gwen frowned against the woman's neck. "I don't disbelieve you. But i still don't want you to have to risk it."

Morgana kissed the top of her head. "At least think on it. Arthur's still coming and we have to do something to prevent what I saw him doing coming true."

Gwen peeked up at her sorceress with worry in her eyes. "What if there's nothing we can do?"

Morgana smiled reassuringly. "Trust me, Gwen. I won't let him hurt you."


	11. Chapter 11

Gwen turned restlessly under the covers. Morgana lay still next to her. Gwen could only assume she was asleep but then again, you never really did know with Morgana- She could be mentally discussing politics with Merlin for all she knew. She sighed softly as she slowly curled one of Morgana's little curls around her finger. In the back of her mind she knew she should be making more of an effort to sleep- she had agreed to go with Morgana to find this 'Piras' man whom Morgause had taken a disliking to after catching him leering at her once too many times and also to let Morgana attempt this quite dangerous sounding ritual on her. The blonde had given Morgana a little map with his village marked on it, a description and a kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the Solarium for the rest of the day. Morgana had been relatively quiet and Gwen nearly fell over when her once mistress walked past Merlin with a whole vine of grapes and didn't throw even _one _at him. Gwen hoped Morgana was alright. She knew the woman well but she always was good at covering up her feelings and not knowing always seemed to put Gwen on edge in times like these. Morgana stirred next to her and her eyes fluttered open. She stared ahead for a moment before turning her head slowly to look at Gwen who smiled gently.

The sorceress propped herself up with one elbow. "Are you okay?"

Gwen frowned a little at the concern in Morgana's voice. "I'm fine, what's the matter?"

Morgana didn't say anything but looked over at the door as she untangled herself from the covers. "I need to go and see Morgause, she's upset."

Gwen sat up "How do you know?"

"Well it's either her or you and if you're okay then it must be her, no one else could wake me up with that gnawing feeling."

Gwen knew she was probably focussing on the wrong point of that sentence, but she couldn't help herself. "I wake you up?"

Morgana looked at her over her shoulder. "You wear the necklace I gave you all the time, if you're upset I usually know about it. Morgause is my sister, she could be on the other side of the world and I'd know if she was upset."

"Funny, she kinda said the same about you once. Exactly how many functions does this necklace have?" Gwen added, looking down at the pendant that hung in its usual place between her breasts. Morgana smiled as she crossed the cool floor in actually rather little considering she was about to walk the halls to the other side of castle. "Enough for me to keep tabs on you from a distance should the need arise."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Hmm. I believe you."

Morgana smiled as she shrugged on a long black silk dressing gown and opened the door to the room, slipping out quietly. "I shouldn't be too long, get some sleep. We'll be on horse back all day tomorrow."

Gwen shuddered at the thought. "Yeah." She murmured.

Morgana left Gwen and headed down the familiar route to her sisters bedroom. She didn't know why she was so sure Morgause was upset, but she'd felt it before and been right so she let instinct drag her out of bed. She strode down the corridor with a sort of conviction, the train-like length of her gown flowing out behind her and doing little to keep in what warmth she had left. She passed a tall window and the moon briefly illuminated her dark hair with a bright sheen of light. She rounded a corner and Morgause's door came into view. With her goal in sight Morgana picked up the pace, walking as fast as she could towards her sister, wondering what she was going to do if she walked in and found Morgause perfectly asleep. It would be just her luck to wake the woman up and have to try and explain her way out of it without looking like a prat. She got to the door and pushed it open slowly, peeking round the side into the dim light. For once, Morgana wasn't happy about being proved right. Morgause was sat up on top of the covers with her arms wrapped around herself, leaned against the headboard of her bed. Her face was stained with new tears and whatever she was thinking about kept her staring dully at the same point of the wall opposite and totally unaware of her sisters presence. Morgana faltered. It wasn't often that her sister showed her emotions like this, and it wasn't often that Morgana caught her unawares. She took a breath to announce herself but the tiny sound immediately drew Morgause's attention and her head snapped towards the door. The death glare quickly softened as she registered Morgana's concerned face as opposed to an intruder.

"Morgana... I-" The blonde sighed, realising it was too late to pretend she was okay. "I'm sorry if I woke you." She resigned. Morgana gave Morgause a sympathetic look and walked over to sit beside her. She pulled her knees up to her chest and looked at her sister sadly. "Why are you crying in the middle of the night? I thought you were okay with me and Gwen going tomorrow... We don't have much time-"

Morgause cut her sister off width and shake of her head. "No, no, I know. I just... I'm afraid you won't come back to me." Morgana unfurled herself and wrapped her arms around Morgause tightly. "Of course I will. I always do." Morgause smiled sadly and closed her eyes. "I couldn't bare to lose you after all we've come through. You're all I have."

Morgana kissed the side of her head. "Tomorrow won't be the last time you see me, I promise. There. I've promised everyone now. Well, everyone except Merlin but I doubt he actually cares."

Morgause opened her eyes. "He's actually quite keen to make amends with you. Being out of Camelot has done him the world of good. I don't think he realised quite how oppressed he was all those years."

Morgana sighed heavily. "I suppose I _should_ stop throwing grapes at him. Maybe after this is over, I'll consider letting him off."

Morgause rested her head against Morgana's shoulder. "Might be an idea."

Morgana sighed. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

The blonde smiled. "Yes." She lifted her head and drew in a deep breath. "You should go back to bed. And Gwen. Go on."

Morgana realised that as much as she knew her sister loved her, this probably was one of those times where she should just comply and leave her to her space.

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning." Morgana gave her sister one last concerned look before slowly getting back off the bed and leaving the woman to her thoughts. She made her way quickly back to Gwen and slipped into bed before the cold killed her off. Gwen was already asleep but still managed to cuddle up to Morgana almost immediately. Pushing the thought of Morgause upset aside, the sorceress made no attempt to linger in the world of the conscious.

When she woke, the room was filling with dawn light. Gwen was still huddled against her. Everything was normal.

_Damn Arthur for making me do this. _Morgana thought as she slowly and carefully got out of bed, trying hard not to disturb Gwen. This would be the last decent sleep she was going to get for a little while and Morgana was damned if she was going to wake the woman any earlier than she had too. Her thoughts flickered to Morgause.

_I really hope she hasn't done anything stupid. _But in reality Morgana knew the woman was far too level headed to do anything rash, especially when she knew what was to come. Morgana sighed and walked begrudgingly over to her wardrobe to find something that wasn't a dress to wear for the long day ahead. She vaguely remembered putting the nice outfit with the fur and the big belt in there somewhere, but she couldn't find it for looking so resorted to huffing at the dresses and going back to sit on the edge of the bed.

"What was that all in aid of?"

Morgana narrowed her eyes playfully at Gwen as she turned to find the woman's big brown eyes gazing up at her, very much awake.

"Well, I was looking for something to wear that wasn't a dress but it didn't really work out."

Gwen yawned delicately. "I can see that." She closed her eyes again. "Mm. Don't make me get up."

Morgana smiled wickedly and leaned over her. "Comfortable?"

Gwen nodded. "Yeah, well done on a great bed."

Morgana smiled and moved a little strand of hair from the other woman's face. "Is there any way I can tempt you to get out of bed?" She said whimsically.

Gwen raised her eyebrows. "Not with that tone of voice, no. In fact, you're making me want to stay here."

Morgana leaned in closer to her. "Oh really?"

Gwen smiled sweetly. Morgana studied her for a few seconds longer with a half smile before leaning in and kissing her softly. Gwen tilted her chin up to meet her and for a second, Morgana was sorely tempted to forget about her clothing issue and go back to 'sleep'. She smiled against Gwen's lips as the younger woman wrapped her hands around the sorceress' waist and pulled her down closer.

_Definitely tempted_.

"Well if this is going to be the extent of your journey, I'll start hiring the random mercenaries now, shall I?"

_Damn it._

Morgana made a point of taking her sweet time to move away from Gwen. Morgause was looking at her expectantly in the door way.

"Gwen was just helping me dress." Morgana said matter-of-factly, totally nonplussed at her sisters presence.

Morgause didn't look convinced. "Dressed or _un_dressed?"

Gwen just smirked. Morgause sighed. "Come _on. _Get out of bed or I'll send Merlin in to annoy you."

The two women sniggered as they obediently climbed off of the bed and returned to the wardrobe. Maybe today _wouldn't_ be so bad.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N well this took a little while but i moved house and a load of other stuff you literally wouldn't believe even if I did take an hour to write it all. Anyway, it's here now and I hope you like it :)**

Morgana held Gwen to her tightly as the younger woman steadied herself at the front of Morgause's white horse. A soft, thick mist had settled over the surroundings, the trees stirred into a blanket of soft green and earthy brown in the watery peach fuzz of sunlight which caused the morning to feel even colder than it's predecessor. The birds were still huddled in tightly packed strings on the bare lower branches and every so often a shrill chirping would flutter through them as they stirred from their sleep.  
Morgause crossed her arms around herself tightly against the chill as she watched Merlin dance around slotting swords into the sheathes that hung from around the saddle and securing each bed roll tightly in place. He reared backwards as the horse kicked at him and Morgause rolled her eyes fondly as Morgana told him to pin his ears back because they were spooking the animal. Merlin made a face and returned to Morgause.  
"She never gives up does she?"  
Morgause sighed. "She has a lot on her mind, Merlin. She'll come round soon enough."  
Merlin sighed. "She'll be okay. Even if the goddess did claim her, she'd get sick of her after 24 hours and kick her out."  
Morgause frowned. "I don't think the goddess can be kicked out."  
Merlin made a face. "I wasn't talking about the goddess." He dodged as Morgause swiped at him.  
"Watch it." She growled.  
The horse drew level with the two before Merlin could lose a limb and they both looked up at Morgana and Gwen. They had decided to share a horse for a few reasons, but mainly because it all but got rid of the risk of being split up and they could take turns sleeping against each other on the move.  
"Well. We should be going."  
Morgause looked at her sister and sighed deeply. "Come home." She said sternly.  
Morgana nodded, Gwen gave a small smile and the horse turned towards the mist.

Morgause's blonde curls had long since disappeared when Gwen first spoke. She was nestled comfortably against Morgana with her head rested against the sorceress' collar bone. The sun was a little higher in the sky after the few hours travel and so far the journey had been done in a settled quiet.  
"Well," she said slowly "At least there's fresh air."  
Morgana smiled. "That's certainly a very optimistic way of looking at it."  
Gwen shifted slightly. "Mmm. Even if you hate him, _I_ remember when you were friends and I don't think Merlin would make anything up to hurt you now. Especially not with Morgause to answer to."  
Morgana kissed the side of Gwen's head and exhaled slowly. "No, I know. I just resent him. I'll get over it."  
Gwen laughed. "Well now I really am worried. It's starting to sound like you're going to _forgive_ him."  
"I might be considering."  
Gwen closed her eyes happily and let herself drift off to sleep against the dark sorceress.

* * *

When she woke again, it was approaching dusk. Morgana's arm was still looped protectively around Gwen and the scenery had changed a little since their departure. The tall trees had turned to thick pines and the floor was covered in their fallen browning needles. Ivy and ferns were the dominant undergrowth, unlike the blanket of brambles they had come from. She gazed up at Morgana. "Do you want to sleep?" She asked drowsily. Morgana looked distracted.  
"You didn't sleep last night did you?" She sighed. "No, we should make haste. The sooner we get there and the more time we allow for the ritual the better."  
Gwen decided her chances of persuading Morgana to let her take the horse for a while were minimum. She closed her eyes again and took in a deep breath of Morgana's scent. "Are you worried about it?" She asked finally.  
Morgana kissed the top of her head affectionately. "Not for myself." She said slowly.  
Gwen frowned. "But for someone?"  
"I'm worried about what you'll do if anything happens to me. I'm worried about Morgause trying to fight with just Merlin if we don't make it back in time."  
"We will. You'll be fine. You have to be, for me." She finished softly.  
Morgana nodded. "Yeah..."  
There was a pause before Morgana pointed out the path that they were about to take. "We'll follow this trail pretty much the rest of the way to the village now. We have a few more hours until it starts to get dark and when it does we'll have to sleep away from the road. Goddess knows how many low-lives call this place home."  
Gwen smiled. "Does that mean we're low-lives for now?"  
Morgana poked her gently. "Speak for yourself."  
Gwen shrugged. "Im used to it. I am low born low, remember?"  
Morgana rested her chin on Gwen's head softly. "No you're not."  
Gwen nodded. "I am, even if it doesn't matter to you." She amended.  
The older woman huffed. "Well it _doesn't_ matter to me and anyone it does matter to can just... Die."  
"I think thats probably our relationship in a nutshell."  
"I think you're probably right."  
Gwen looked up at the sky as a flock of dark winged birds flew squawking in the opposite direction to which the two women had came.  
Morgana's expression changed and she turned the horse to watch them, listening intently.  
"Little early for the birds to be going to roost." She murmured darkly, almost sing song. Gwen got as far as opening her mouth to ask what she meant before Morgana yanked on the reins, rearing the horse up and around. Gwen's eyes widened in surprise as she clung to the horses neck and two arrows whistled under the horses legs and gored deep into a tree behind them. As the mares hooves thudded back to the ground three men in rags which appeared as if they had once been storage sacks for potatoes and the likes ran through the trees ahead, each wielding a club and one with a club and a rust eaten sword.

The shortest of them ran like a blind ferret on its hind legs in a field of booby traps, his arms flailing as he launched himself over roots and boulders trying to keep up with his taller company. The other was his opposite, lanky and disproportionate, grasping his club awkwardly and seemingly needing to put a lot of effort into staying upright at what Gwen imagined was probably his top speed. They both had old bows slung around there neck, but only one quiver which was strapped firmly to the taller. The last of them, the sword in his right hand no doubt the most valuable thing the three men had and likely their prize possession, was better built, more muscle and with a better hold of his weapons. Like the other two, he was totally bald but he also exhibited a wild mess of a beard, matted and probably crawling with lice and maybe even the odd flea.  
They slowly drew closer and to Gwen's disbelief, Morgana started laughing. She didn't move Morgause's horse an inch, and the horse itself was unflinching. Morgana held her hand out and muttered something, still smiling at the three men hurtling towards them as if they were awfully simple. Which probably wasn't far from the truth.  
All at once the men seemed to hit an invisible wall, stopping unnaturally fast and then flying backwards, their weapons scattering into the undergrowth. Two of them careered backwards and headfirst into trees so hard they slumped unconscious immediately, and the third onto his back with enough force to punch the wind from his lungs. Morgana trotted over to the one on his back, the short one, and looked over the side of her horse at him like he was something disgusting. He wheezed and then spluttered and coughed horsely. Gwen noticed he looked sort of like Uther with a funny nose and less hair. Not that she hadn't seen Uther bald. She smirked.  
"You're lucky that I'm on a schedule or I would have castrated you with your own teeth." Morgana said matter of factly to the man as she drew the horse away, continuing up the path they had previously been on. Gwen looked behind her at Morgana who was looking slightly more pleased with herself now that she had got to use her magic on somebody. Gwen kissed her jaw. "Well that was exciting." She said brightly.  
Morgana smiled. "I would have preferred them dead, but as I said we _are_ on a schedule."  
Gwen rolled her eyes. "Well maybe they'll still be there on the way back."  
Morgana grinned at the prospect for a good five minutes.  
Another half hours travel and the sky was gathering itself for dark. Gwen was starting to wonder how Morgana was still awake but she showed no signs of tiring and it was Gwen's mentioning of a rest which seemed to remind her that they needed to at some point stop.  
When they did Morgana lit the fire with a sweep of her hand and Gwen cuddled her knees and sat as close to it as the heat would allow. It was five or so minutes before Morgana sat down next to her but when she did, she sat close. Gwen leaned sideways and into Morgana as the warmth from the flames slowly curled around her. The sorceress sighed slowly and pulled Gwen against her slowly. "I wonder how Morgause is."  
The younger woman closed her eyes. "She'll be alright, thinking of you probably."  
Morgana nodded. "Yeah, probably. We should sleep, I suppose. I'll take first watch."  
Morgana stood and went to sit with her back against a tree. Gwen lay down where she sat.  
"Hey," Gwen said after a minute. "Do you have to take watch over _there_?"  
Morgana stared at her blankly for a second before rolling her eyes a little and walking back over to Gwen. She sat down by her but Gwen pouted and the once stone-hearted sorceress ended up taking her watch on her side with Gwen nestled in her arms.


End file.
